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The perfect marriage

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Education About Gasshare

The perfect marriage

By Eniday Staff

About gas

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Gas is the best possible partner for renewables in the transition to a low carbon future: from an environmental point of view, gas-fired power plants are more efficient and produce about half the CO2 emissions of coal-fired power stations (currently the main source used for the generation of electricity) per kWh of electricity generated; in terms of costs, gas is also a highly competitive resource, as well as being reliable and safe. It is therefore the best source of energy to power the electricity sector and offers significant flexibility…

The following text is taken from an op-ed by Eni's Ceo Claudio Descalzi and published on the World Economic Forum website. Photos by Mattia Balsamini.

Over the last two centuries, life expectancy has roughly doubled as oil, gas and coal have helped improve the standard of living of billions of people, particularly in the Western world. Nevertheless, as our quality of life has consistently improved, we have also spewed CO2 into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of emissions that the earth could handle before its climate changed. It is now urgent that we limit those emissions and keep the increase in the average global temperature to below 2°C.

While the Paris Agreement has been historic, the national commitments that it prompted are not enough to reach that target. According to the International Energy Agency, Paris put us on track for a 2.7°C increase in the average global temperature by 2100. The issue is particularly important for our business.

Eni is at the centre of many climate initiatives, including financial disclosure linked to climate, which we support and promote as part of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

We believe that the only way we can realistically stay within the 2°C is by rebalancing the current energy mix towards natural gas – which emits much less CO2 than comparable fuels – while continuing to invest in renewables.

Such a shift will be successful only if we engage with the developing world, managing to provide clean and affordable energy to the billions of people who still don’t have fair access to it.

Let’s first look at the energy mix. Efforts to rebalance it have been disjointed and sometimes counterproductive. Until renewables reach critical scale, we need to reduce the use of polluting fuels, while favouring the least polluting alternatives, among which gas is the best example.

If we could switch all coal to gas tomorrow, we would be half way to achieving enough cuts in emissions to keep temperatures within 2°C

(studio texas a&m university)

GAS VS COAL: REDUCTION OF THE EMISSIONS

100% COAL

EMISSIONS

% GAS EMISSIONS

% REDUCTION (gas VS coal)

- 50:60%

- 99%

PM10 particulate matter

CO2 carbon dioxide

- 90%

- 100%

CO carbon monoxide

Hg mercury

- 99%

- 100%

Cd cadmium

SO2 sulfur dioxide

- 80:90%

- 100%

Pb lead

NO2 nitrogen dioxide

Power plant limits

One way of encouraging that switch is to introduce CO2 emission limits for power plants, which would be allowed to access funding mechanisms, or simply to run at all, only if they emit less than a given threshold: for example 550 grams of CO2 per Kilowatt/hour, as being debated in Europe.

Biomass, once hailed as a renewable saviour, is equally problematic. Its massive use, mostly in developing countries to heat and cook food, causes around 4 million deaths per year from respiratory illness, and contributes to deforestation and desertification.
The developing world will be key to the success of such a shift in the energy mix.
This means, especially for Europe, looking at Africa.

Countries in the continent are often rich in resources, but their citizens have long been denied fair access to energy. These countries need low carbon infrastructure and reliable sources of supply, in order for all of us to collectively meet our climate goals.
To make this happen, we have to make sure that African resources benefit Africa.
Gas production offers an opportunity for cleaner and easier access to energy.

New discoveries of natural gas in Egypt – as well as in nearby Cyprus and Israel – and the emerging production hub of Mozambique, will supplement existing flows from West Africa, enabling the development of an expanded, more integrated and more flexible gas market.

At Eni, we are committing to deliver to local markets a large part of the gas discoveries that we are developing across the continent.

Cooperation between Europe and Africa is key. It will bring new investments and technologies, increasing energy access and stability, to the benefit of all in both regions.

But the clock is ticking: we have already consumed more than two thirds of our carbon budget. We have to act now to ensure we meet the 2°C target, while effectively extending to the developing world the benefits brought about by oil and gas.

Developing the use of gas while investing in renewables is the way forward.

Sparks

Talks

We are an energy company. We are working to build a future where everyone can access energy resources efficiently and sustainably. Our work is based on passion and innovation, on our unique strengths and skills, on the quality of our people and in recognising that diversity across all aspects of our operations and organisation is something to be cherished. We believe in the value of long term partnerships with the countries and communities where we operate.

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